Norman Lear

Writer and executive producer Norman Lear was one of the very few individuals who had a profound impact on the development of television. After spending almost two decades honing his skills on various comedy shows during television's golden age, Lear created "All in the Family" (CBS, 1971-79), a groundbreaking and often controversial series that laid waste to the sitcom mold by tackling taboo issues like racism, gender roles and the war in Vietnam, while remaining one of the funniest and most well-written shows in television history. Though Lear wore his liberal views on his sleeve, "All in the Family" was strangely embraced by conservative America, which largely agreed with his creation's curmudgeonly main character, who wanted a return to the good old days. The show also became famous for spawning a number of spin-offs, namely "Maude" (CBS, 1972-78) and "The Jeffersons" (CBS, 1975-1985). All three series lived on past cancellation, gaining new generations of fans in repeated syndication airings. While he would prove instrumental in other hits like "Good Times" (CBS, 1974-79) and "One Day at a Time" (CBS, 1975-1984), Lear would always be remembered as not only an innovator, but an icon of American...

Writer and executive producer Norman Lear was one of the very few individuals who had a profound impact on the development of television. After spending almost two decades honing his skills on various comedy shows during television's golden age, Lear created "All in the Family" (CBS, 1971-79), a groundbreaking and often controversial series that laid waste to the sitcom mold by tackling taboo issues like racism, gender roles and the war in Vietnam, while remaining one of the funniest and most well-written shows in television history. Though Lear wore his liberal views on his sleeve, "All in the Family" was strangely embraced by conservative America, which largely agreed with his creation's curmudgeonly main character, who wanted a return to the good old days. The show also became famous for spawning a number of spin-offs, namely "Maude" (CBS, 1972-78) and "The Jeffersons" (CBS, 1975-1985). All three series lived on past cancellation, gaining new generations of fans in repeated syndication airings. While he would prove instrumental in other hits like "Good Times" (CBS, 1974-79) and "One Day at a Time" (CBS, 1975-1984), Lear would always be remembered as not only an innovator, but an icon of American television, due mainly to the timeless appeal of his biggest and most influential hit, "All in the Family."

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